hellohelenhere
journeyman
Reged: 21/06/2006
Posts: 73
Loc: London, UK
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Hi all.
I recently got a Canon Powershot S5 IS, and although I like it in lots of ways (decent telephoto, great swivelling monitor, good video, good macro) I don't like the lens quality as much as my old Coolpix 5900, which had a pleasing, softer, more even quality, and less flare and distortion. Also the images from the Powershot tend towards the harsh, and it doesn't deal well with high contrast, when the distortions really start to show up, especially at the extreme ends of the zoom.
Unfortunately, I gave my Coolpix to my Mum and now I'm really missing it! So I considered buying another 5900 second-hand - except that they just don't seem to be available any more. There are so many different models of compact Nikon - I have no idea which would be comparable to the 5900 for lens quality. Can anybody recommend something similar? I wouldn't mind more pixels, of course (5900 has 6 megapixels) but I really did like that lens and would like something that behaves in a similar way.
Also, I'm hoping to find something in the way of discontinued stock, and therefore cheap - as I'm broke!
Cheers,
Helen
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phiggy
Reged: 15/01/2002
Posts: 2438
Loc: Shropshire U.K.
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Why not introduce your mum to the Canon?
If she likes it then tell her you will do a swap for your old Nikon 
Happy mum
And a
H ppy m m
Unless she prefers the Nikon ! 
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Phiggy
Take nothing but photos leave nothing but Footprints
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hellohelenhere
journeyman
Reged: 21/06/2006
Posts: 73
Loc: London, UK
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Hehe, good idea. But the Coolpix is about as much camera as she wants to deal with - I guess I could buy her something similar and cadge the Coolpix back, seeing as I've grown so attached to it. I'd like to keep hold of the Canon Powershot, as it has some useful features, such as decent quality video, and its telephoto capability - just that I don't really like it for landscape, and I do miss having a really little camera that I can put in a pocket! (The Powershot is one of those borderline cameras that's about halfway to an SLR so is twice the size of the Coolpix.)
I guess I could easily enough get her something very much like the Coolpix, and from Nikon, so she doesn't have to relearn the menus, for less than a hundred quid?
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Nod
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 08/04/2006
Posts: 4411
Loc: Devon, UK.
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IMO (and that of plenty others here!), 6MP is plenty for a compact. I have a 6MP (DSLR) camera and it delivers great prints up to A3 and my old Coolpix 3100 (3MP) is fine up to 10x8, start cramming too much more into a compact and noise will get bad.
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MATWSIJ.....
To avoid being offended, please insert apropriate smiley.
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hellohelenhere
journeyman
Reged: 21/06/2006
Posts: 73
Loc: London, UK
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Actually my experience bears that out, Nod! The Powershot has 8mp, if I remember rightly, and it has quite bad noise in low light and fairly horrible bokeh in some situations. My EOS 350D is good for noise and has lovely bokeh. :-)
I guess my real question is, which other compacts have comparable lens quality to the 5900? If I were to buy my Mum a new compact so I could snaffle the 5900 back again, what could I replace it with? Looking at 7dayshop.com, for example - what are the Coolpix L14, L18, and P60 like, in comparison?
She doesn't want anything complicated and she's unlikely, I think, to get really into the whole photography thing, she just wants to be able to take good holiday pics, easily and reliably. She got great results in Iran this spring with the 5900 so I know it suits her purposes! I'd also like to stick with Nikon as she already knows her way round their menu style. Any suggestions?
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Nod
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 08/04/2006
Posts: 4411
Loc: Devon, UK.
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Suggestions? Apart from forcing her to sit down and read the manual until she knows what all the buttons do, I'm afraid not!
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MATWSIJ.....
To avoid being offended, please insert apropriate smiley.
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hellohelenhere
journeyman
Reged: 21/06/2006
Posts: 73
Loc: London, UK
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Suggestions for another Nikon compact which is comparable in quality to the 5900, is what I meant! There are so many, and I have no idea which might be similar. What is the L13 like? What is the P60 like?
I'm hoping someone might have experience of some of the compacts currently available so they can advise me.
I want to give HER an equivalent camera so that *I* can take back the 5900.
So, anybody got any suggestions for a similar compact??
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Towershot
old hand
Reged: 19/03/2007
Posts: 773
Loc: Lancashire, U,K.
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Hello Helen, I have a coolpix L12 and am quite pleased with the pictures from it.link below £99.
But try a search and you might see it cheeper.
http://www.cbmstore.co.uk/contentitempage.aspx?contentid=962139
PS. on my flickr site below, in the reflections set there are a couple taken with the L12 coolpix.
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Got a good camera, now to get a good photographer.:~<
Rick
My Flickr
Edited by Towershot (01/08/2008 21:28)
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hellohelenhere
journeyman
Reged: 21/06/2006
Posts: 73
Loc: London, UK
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Thanks Rick, I'll look into that.
cheers
H
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